It is always good when your dinner companion, in this case, The Colonel, decide that after a rather substantial meal that they need a palette cleanser.

The Colonel, in typically decisive fashion, opted to cleanse with sticky ginger pudding and ice cream.

Not wishing to appear ‘not made of the proper stuff’ in front of her majesty’s elite, I decided I would certainly ‘cut the mustard’ by opting for rhubarb crumble and custard.

That’ll match and raise it, for sure.

What ensued was akin to a scene from an Indiana Jones film, where the lady out-drinks the Mongolian hoards in a vodka drinking contest in a yurt.  

Eyes fixed on each other, the spoons went in to equally gooey, sweet, delicious puddings, and the challenge was on.

Beads of perspiration began to appear, and at one point the rolling back eyes of someone about to flop into a diabetic coma showed a chink in The Colonel’s armour.

But no surrender.  The palette, and the bowl, were thoroughly cleansed, and I admit to failure by not getting through all of mine.  Which was a big shame as it was nice.

I might say in my defence that the two prior courses were wolfed down.
I had double cheese souffle to start with. You can have it as a main as well, and what a treat.  Angels sitting on clouds would eat this in all its light, fluffy, and cheesy loveliness. If Marden and the Millstream  could be world famous for something - it could be the cheese souffle. It should go on the tourist map.

The Colonel did the duck confit for starters, and there was much positive harumphing noise once the cointreau jus got discovered. I had a bit. Utterly delicious but not too cointreau-y and a beautifully crisp salad to accompany.

The Millstream is a lovely pub-but-more-of-a-restaurant in the small village of Marden. It has a pleasing look to it, and is very popular, despite being a bit out of the way.  Our Wednesday evening sojourn saw the place pretty full, with a range of the well heeled country types mixed in with a family or two.

The staff are welcoming, but it is noticeable now we are in Covid times, that there is no banter. Perhaps that is a consequence of not being able to go to the bar to order anything. So it felt a bit like having a ‘brand experience’ rather than being welcomed into the snuggly bosom of a dingly dell country pub in the depths of winter. 
But nothing to complain about. Everyone was very pleasant and very efficient. 

There was a good selection of standard and imaginative things to eat, and the wine list was satisfying and interesting, with entry level stuff starting under a tenner, and a good range up to £30. There was a bin end list too - always tempting.

Mains were a hefty pleasure.  The Colonel went for steak and ale pie,  and reported that it was a very meaty and well made pie indeed.
I had salmon and prawn pancakes - not so great to look at, but total comfort food and delicious. In all - good value - about £27 a head without the booze.  Highly recommended.